Fluorescent light socket



March 16, 1943. w. E. MGSWEEN 2,314,233

FLUORESCENT LIGHT SOCKET Filed Maren 31, 1941v A11-annex.

Patented Mar. 16, '1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUORESCENT LIGHTSOCKET William E. McSween, Cleveland, OllioY Application March 31, 1941,Serial No. 386,088

This yinvention relates to electric light sockets and particularly tothe type of socket used with a iiuorescent lamp.

As conducive to a clearer understanding of this invention, it may bewell to point out that tubular fluorescent lamps have sets of cathodeand anode terminals at each end thereof, and that it is necessary tomake electric contact with each set of terminals before the lamp willlight. Heretofore, the lamp sockets used for each set of terminals weremounted apart and facing each other on a single bracket which was alittle longer than the lamp bulb itself. The socketsN were stationaryand not movable with respectvto each other. This restriction Aoftenlimited the way the lamp could be mounted and it was never possible tolmount a lamp of this type so that even, direct, and unobstructedillumination could be had for the entire peripheral area around thelamp. The long bracket or connector which extended lengthwise of thelamp and from one end thereof to the other, always obstructed the lightrays at that side. Also, by some reason of the old method of rigidlymounting the sockets, the lamp terminals had to be engaged with theelectric contacts in each socket bya radial application. In other wordsthe two corresponding sockets had to have. suitable aligned grooveswhich opened into their circumferential surfaces, and which couldreceive the sets of anode and cathode terminals simultaneously.

Itis therefore the primary object of this invention to provide lampsockets which will support uorescent lamps of different lengths andwhich permits the mounting of such lamps in a manner which eliminatesthe necessity of intermediate adjacent parallel supports or direct andrigid connectors between vthe sockets at the ends of the lamps.

Another object is to provide a socket of the type mentioned whichpermits the lamp terminals to be engaged with or set longitudinally intothe socket instead of laterally therewith.

Further object is to provide such socket with springs which engage themetal collars of ,the

lamp and hold it firmly therein.

. and wherein:

Figure 1 is a comprehensive view of a number of fluorescent lightsockets of this invention suspended on chains and supporting a series oflamps;

r octagonal holding means.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of one of the sockets withV a heater switchmounted thereon and also showinga part of a lamp;

Figure 3 is a View of the open end of thesocket into which the lampmember is inserted;

Figure 4 is a view of the oppositev end of the socket and whichendreceives the heater switch; Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view ofthe socket takenI along the lines and in the direction of the arrows 5-5of the Figure 3;

' Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of the same socket taken alongthe lines 6 6 of the Figure 5;

ance with this invention and as they would ap pear suspended on chainsand supporting a conventional tubular fluorescent light bulb. In thisiigure, the character 2 indicates a socket of this invention one ofwhich. has a special heater switch attached thereto. Character IIindicates lthe loop on the socket which engages the chain I2.Theelectric wires or conductors are indicated by the character 3.

Referring particularly to the Figure 2, the socket shown consists of twosemi-tubular metal shells 2l and 22 which are held together by means ofthe diametric screw 26 and which are referred to in the claim as, asplit tubular shell member. The top shell' 2l is engaged with the bottomshell 22 at the separable joint 23.

The Figure 3 which is a right end view of the socket illustrated in theFigure 2 shows the top and bottom shells 2| and 22 joined together at23. Just inside the end opening four small wire springs 40 are fastenedto the two shells to form, when Vthev shells are in an assembledrelation, an The wire springs lll are fastened to the' respective shellsat the points ll by either a weld or solder. The intermediate portionsare relativelyloose and are free to eni gage the small circumferentialgroove 42 on each end of 'the lamp member I5.

The Figure 4 is e ieft end view of the socket spring clamps 53 areeccentrically shaped pieces of spring metal which co-act and tightlyengage the two grooved and aligned terminals 51 on the heater switch 20.Each clamp of the pair is so .shaped that it contacts the side surfaceof the terminal 51 when the heater switch 20 is inserted before the lampI5 and the heater switch20 are engaged therewith. In that case the lampIl is inserted longitudinally into the opening 43 so that the groove '42engages the springs 40 and the electrical terminal I6 engaged the clips34 simultaneously. When the socket is partly asvhole 24 which isthreaded so as to engage the threaded end of the screw 26 which extendsdiametrically through the socket members and holds the top and bottommembers together. It also has the springs 40 arranged to formanoctagonal collar portion for retaining an end of the fluorescent lamp.

The top inner portion of the socket 2 is made of a fibre block or otherdielectric material and is herein referred to as a case member 29. Thisblock 29 has a curved surface to correspond with and to' neatly iit theinner wall of the top shell 2 I. It also has a flat surface, a portionof which is cut away to provide room for the bushing 28. The openingthrough which the electric wire I3 pass is indicated by the character 45and is-radially aligned with the opening 21 in the top shell portion.The clip members 34 which are made of metal are fastened to the casemember 29 on each side of the opening 45 by means of the screws 35. Eachof the clip members 34 have bifurcated `ends 36 which are tensioned soas to grip the electrical terminals I6 o1 the lamp members I5. The fibredisk or washer 38 which is mounted in front of the clips 34 and slightlyto the rear of the springs 40 has two openings or parallel Aslottedchannels'39 which provide entrance means or passage waysl for the.electrical terminal I6.

The opposite end of the socketis similarly provided with a pair of clampmembers I which are attached to the dielectric case member- 29 by meansof the screws 52. Each of the clamp members 5I are provided with aneccentric arm 53 which is tensioned and shaped to engage the grcovedterminals I51 of the heater switch 20 when they are' properly insertedand turned slightly in the opening 44.

The bottom case member 30 is shaped very much like the upper case member2'9. It is also provided with a diametric hoie 32 for the screw and inaddition has portions cut away at 54 and 55 to provide for theextensionof the bifurcated clips 3B, which are engageable withthe lampterminals and with the eccentric arms or` clamps 53 which areengageablewith the heater switch terminals. The top and bottom. casemembers 29 and 30 are also referred to as a split dielectric bodyportion. y

In order to complete the electric circuit for the lamps I5 when theheater switch 20 is used, there must b e a connection between one of theclip members 34 and one of the clamp members 5I. This is provided for bythe insertion of a small bridge or connector 6I which is held in placeby the screws 35 and 52 respectively.

In use, the socket may be assembled completely sembled the lamp can bemade to engage the socket in a lateral fashion. 'Ihat is, the electricalterminals are passed through the grooves 39 and engaged with the clips'39 at the openings 91. The shell member 22 together with the lowerspring members 40 are then applied and fastened in place by the screw26. The electric connections, of course, are easily made when the lowershell isloosened and separated from the top portions. The openings 33and 45 provide ample' space for the necessary wires. If the socket 2 isto be used asv the second of the pair, that is without the heater switch20, then the opening 44 provided for the heater switch is simply pluggedup with a piece of dielectric material or is left open as desired.Inasmuch as there are many different ways in which this socket and thefixture may be wired, the details of the wiring plan are not shownherein. However, for the sake of clarity, it may be mentioned that theconventional transformer which is generally used Ain connection withtubular fluorescent lamps,

may be concealed in the ceiling canopy of the fixture, whichincidentally is not shown herein because it constitutes no part of theinstant invention and its use is well known to the art.

It is now clear that the sockets described accomplish the objectsoriginally set forth and further have advantages which are n'otobtainable in any of the prior art sockets of this type.

' While thel invention has been disclosed in its preferred form, it isto be understood that' the embodiment of the invention as described andillustrated herein is not to be considered in a limiting electricconductors, the said shell member also.

having resilient collar portions mounted thereon adjacent to one end ofthe body portion and engageable with the fluorescent lam`p, a pair ofbifurcated clip members electrically engageable with the 'said lampterminals and mounted on the said body portion adjacent tothe' saidcollar portions and facing one of the aforesaid openings, and a pair ofco-acting clamp members mounted 'on the opposite end of the body portionand adjacent to the other one of the said'openings and aligned with theaforesaid pair of clip members, the said clamp members being engageablewith the said heater switch terminals, one of the said clamp membershaving means thereon extending 4through the body member makingelectrical connection with the bifurcated clip member opposite thereto.

WILLIAM E. McSWEEN.

